Lebedev ready for legal challenge

Russian businessman Alexander Lebedev has said he has been threatened with legal action by the property tycoon Sergei Polonsky, whom he punched during a Russian television show last month, adding that he would be happy to face him in court.

"If they want to send me a writ, they can," the told The Guardian newspaper. "I'll pick it up."

When asked what provoked him to punch Mr Polonsky, Mr Lebedev, the financial backer of The Independent and Evening Standard, said: "You remember the Zidane case?" – a reference to French footballer Zinedine Zidane's headbutting of Marco Materazzi after the latter reportedly insulted his sister.